1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to snowboard bindings and more particularly, to an apparatus for manually releasing the bindings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snowboarding is a sport which has become widely popular in the last several years and is typically engaged in on snow-covered slopes originally designed for downhill skiing. However, snowboarding can be far more dangerous than skiing in some situations. This is because, in contrast to a pair of today's downhill skis (which are independently connected by respective bindings to the skier's ski boots, so as to be independently releasable by a simple pull to a release mechanism with one hand or automatically in the event of a high force impact such as in a fall), today's snowboard has two bindings fixed on a single board that typically will not release from the snowboarder's boots in the event of even a severe impact. Moreover, the bindings on a snowboard can be released only by using both hands to release each of two latches or catch buckles on each binding. This requirement can be exceedingly dangerous in the event that a snowboard becomes lodged under a large amount of snow, such as in the event of an avalanche or if the snowboarder falls while boarding through deep virgin snow. In such a case, it may be difficult for the snowboarder to reach both hands deep into the snow to reach the bindings. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that both feet (on which boots are worn) are held by the bindings to a single snowboard and that snowboards are much wider and heavier than skis. As a result, a snowboard may be impossible to dislodge from under the snow without first releasing the feet therefrom.
The bindings for most snowboards in use and on the market today each have two binding straps for binding the foot to the board, including an instep binding strap and a toe binding strap, each strap with a buckle or latch that must be independently released before the snowboarder's booted foot can be removed from the binding. Such buckles are typically spring-biased toward a closed position in which a serration on the buckle engages between adjacent teeth or serrations on the strap. The buckle typically has an actuation member with a small ribbed surface to be engaged by a finger for holding the buckle in an open position. Thus, even in normal use, snowboard bindings are troublesome to release from the snowboarder's boots. It requires all but the most adept snowboarder to bend, kneel or sit down and apply both hands to manipulate and release the two buckles so that the foot can be lifted away from the board and released from the binding. Moreover, the operation is made additionally difficult when the snowboarder is wearing heavy gloves or mittens because of the small size of the buckle, particularly the ribbed surface of the actuation member, and the relatively large pressure that must be applied against the spring bias in order to release the buckle.
A known binding release apparatus is ineffective for snowboard bindings of the type described above. U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,087, dated Nov. 8, 1994, discloses a complex binding release apparatus that utilizes a pair of binding straps that are formed as a unit to be latched and unlatched as a unit. A rigid connector plate connecting the free ends of the binding straps has a male latch member that is engagable with a female latch member on the board. A flexible cable extends upward from the female latch member through a guide member on the heel plate of the binding to a hip height so that the snowboarder can release the latch by pulling on the cable.
However, the prior binding release mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,087 is ineffective for today's snowboard bindings whose binding straps are individually buckled and tightened according to the size of the snowboarder's boots. Moreover, the prior mechanism is not easily added to an existing binding of any type. The entire bindings must be replaced in order to provide a binding release apparatus according to this teaching.